1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a buffer pad and, more particularly, to a buffer pad for use in an electric fan to absorb vibrations generated by a rotary blade assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known that there are many types of electric fans. FIG. 3 illustrates an electric fan that includes a frame (60) having a central sleeve (61) with a circuit board (62) and an armature (63) mounted therearound and with a bearing (64) fitted tightly therein.
The electric fan further includes a blade assembly (65) having a spindle (66) rotatably supported in the bearing (64), in which the spindle (66) is retained by a retainer ring (67) that is held on a distal end of the spindle (66) below the bearing (64). A sticky sheet (68) is adhered to the frame (60) to close a bottom opening of the sleeve (61).
The problem of the electric fan is that it must be inverted just before the retainer ring (67) is fitted to the distal end of the spindle (66). Apparently, the inversion increases the time required for the assembly of the fan, especially in mass production.
FIG. 4 shows an electric fan that includes a frame (70) having a central chamber (71) defined by a tubular portion (72). Firmly mounted around the tubular portion (72) is a sleeve (73) in which a bearing (74) is fitted tightly and a resilient retainer ring (77) is held between the bearing (74) and the tubular portion (72).
A blade assembly (75) is provided with a spindle (76) rotatably supported in the bearing (74). In this electric fan, the spindle (76) can be easily retained in the bearing (74) simply by pressing the blade assembly (75) in such a way that a distal, round end of the spindle (76) is squeezed through an aperture of the resilient retainer ring (77) until the ring (77) snaps into a neck of the spindle (76), when the round end of the spindle (76) additionally abuts a pad (78) positioned at a bottom of the chamber (71).
Accordingly, the assembly of the second-mentioned fan can be performed without inverting it, and the chamber (71) can be used as an oil reservoir to lubricate the bearing (74). However, the illustrated electric fans share a common problem that they may be noisy in operation, since no means are provided for absorbing vibrations generated by the rotary blade assembly.
Therefore, it is an objective of the invention to provide a buffer pad for use in an electric fan to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.
The object of the present invention is to provide a buffer pad for use in an electric fan to absorb vibrations generated by a rotary blade assembly.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.